Page 16 - Europe

Facebook, Instagram users in Europe can opt for less personalised ads

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe will get the option to see less personalised ads if they don't want to pay for an ad-free subscription, social media company Meta said Tuesday, bowing to pressure from Brussels over digital competition concerns. Meta Platforms has been offering users in the European Union an ad-free subscription option for about a year to comply with the continent's strict data privacy rules, but regulators had accused the company of giving people a false choice. The company said in a blog post that while people will still be able to choose between the subscription and free versions, it would also start giving users a third option over the coming weeks to see digital ads that are less personalized. This means ads will be targeted at users based only on what they see during their current session on Facebook or Instagram going back no more than two hours, plus minimal personal information such as age, location, gender as well as how they engage with ads. Data fr

Russia suspected of plotting to send incendiary devices to US on planes

Governments across Europe have been raising alarm over a growing threat of Russia-sponsored acts of sabotage and destabilization since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine

US' Europe allies face tough times, whoever wins presidential election

The United States' European allies are bracing for an America that's less interested in them no matter who wins the presidential election - and for old traumas and new problems if Donald Trump returns to the White House. The election comes more than 2 1/2 years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in which Washington has made the single biggest contribution to Kyiv's defence. There are question marks over whether that would continue under Trump, and how committed he would be to NATO allies in general. A win by Vice President Kamala Harris could be expected to bring a continuation of current policy, though with Republican opposition and growing war fatigue among the US public there are concerns in Europe that support would wane. Trump's appetite for imposing tariffs on US partners also is causing worry in a Europe already struggling with sluggish economic growth. But it's not just the possibility of a second Trump presidency that has the continent anxious about tougher times

UK firm Low Carbon sells 6 GW battery storage portfolio to S4 Energy

Dutch grid operator TenneT, the largest in Europe, is looking at options for a private or partial sale, after a sale to the German government floundered

European banks to continue dealing with Indian clearing firms post October

Europe's authorities set the deadline last year after their request for co-supervision of European trades settled through Indian clearing houses was denied by the Reserve Bank of India

Europe seeks to underpin sanctions on Russia, fearing Trump overhaul

Trump has strongly implied on the campaign trail that he would stop or dramatically slow military aid to Ukraine if he wins the Nov 5 election

Norwegian bank DNB to buy Sweden's Carnegie from Altor for $1.14 bn

DNB said in a statement it expected to finalise the all-cash acquisition, which is subject to official approvals, in the first half of 2025

European banks under investor pressure to keep earnings growth alive

Bank share prices have broadly delivered a double-digit rise this year, driven by stock buyback programmes

Biden to discuss Ukraine with European allies on swansong Berlin trip

Biden, who sought to improve ties with Europe after presidency of Donald Trump, will be greeted with military honors before receiving Germany's highest order of merit from President Frank Steinmeier

China-Europe rivalry heats up at Paris car show as EV tariffs loom

This year, they account for only about a fifth of the brands thanks to a much stronger showing from Europe's auto industry - a sign of its determination to defend its home turf

Amul ready to enter European market after recent success in US: MD Mehta

Managing Director of AMUL and Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF) Jayen Mehta said AMUL's recently launched milk in US has been "highly successful" and they are now ready to enter the European market, which would mark a historic moment for the brand. Delivering the 11th Dr Verghese Kurien Memorial Oration on "AMUL Model: Transforming Lives of Million" organised by a private business management institute here on Saturday, Mehta said "India is now the largest milk producer in the world and is set to produce one-third of the world's total milk in the coming years", XLRI in a statement said. "Dairy isn't just a businessit's a lifeline for rural India," he said. Talking about Amul's recent launch of milk in the US, Mehta said it has been "highly successful", and they are now ready to enter the European market for the first time. To stay relevant, Amul focuses on offering protein-rich, organic, and chemical-free products that customers trust, while continuously ...

Levi Strauss considers possible sale of Dockers brand, shares drop by 10%

Levi is in the midst of a turnaround strategy to operate mainly by offering tighter assortment that focuses on core denim clothing

Inflation in Europe falls below 2%, paves way for faster interest rate cuts

Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro fell to 1.8 per cent in September, below the European Central Bank's target of 2 per cent for the first time in more than three years as falling energy prices give consumers relief from a burst of inflation that at one point reached into double digits. Tuesday's official figure coupled with an anemic growth outlook could pave the way for faster interest rate cuts from the ECB, which has already trimmed rates twice. Inflation fell from 2.2 per cent in August, according to European Union statistics agency Eurostat. The last time inflation hit the ECB's 2 per cent goal was in June, 2021 when it was 1.9 per cent. Economists have started to consider the possibility of a rate cut at the bank's October 17 meeting. A few weeks ago, the expectations were that the central bank would wait until December before lowering borrowing costs again for consumers and businesses. The bank must juggle the need to make sure inflation is under control, which

Julian Assange to make first public statement since release from prison

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will make his first public statements since he was released from prison when he addresses the Council of Europe on Tuesday. Assange, 53, is expected to give evidence to the legal affairs and human rights committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. The Parliamentary Assembly, which includes parliamentarians from 46 European countries, said the hearing will discuss Assange's detention and conviction and their chilling effect on human rights" ahead of a debate on the topic on Wednesday. WikiLeaks said in a statement that Assange will attend the hearing in person due to the exceptional nature of the invitation. Assange was released in June after five years in a British prison after he pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that concluded a drawn-out legal saga. Prior to his time in prison, he had spent seven years in self-imposed exile in

More Chinese heading to Europe, far-flung hotspots for Golden Week holiday

Bookings for overseas flights and hotels have spiked from last year's holiday week, with international flight reservations doubling and Europe showing some of the the biggest growth

Over 2 million customers without power in US southeast from Helene

Georgia Power meanwhile restored power to over 740,000 customers following Hurricane Helene, it said in its storm update on Sunday

Aston Martin warns of lower annual core profit on supply chain, China woes

An increasing number of cars were taking longer to complete and deliveries were getting delayed, it added

Volvo leads 50 companies urging EU to stick to combustion-engine ban

The 2035 target is crucial to align all stakeholders on this journey and ensure European competitiveness

Austrian far-right Freedom Party takes lead in election, shows data

The far-right Freedom Party had a lead over the governing conservatives in Austria's national election on Sunday and was well-placed for its first win in a parliamentary vote, a projection showed. But its chances of governing were unclear. The projection for ORF public television, based on partial counting, put support for the Freedom Party at 29.1% in the parliamentary election and Chancellor Karl Nehammer's Austrian People's Party at 26.3%. The centre-left Social Democrats were in third place with 20.9%. Herbert Kickl, a former interior minister and longtime campaign strategist who has led the Freedom Party since 2021, wants to become Austria's new chancellor on the back of the first far-right national election win in post-World War II Austria. But to become Austria's new leader, he would need a coalition partner to command a majority in the lower house of parliament -- and rivals have said they won't work with Kickl in government. The voter has spoken. Change is wanted in our ..

As CERN turns 70, it searches for ways to finance the next big thing

CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti is looking at new ways to fund research that spans the invisible dark matter